Karen Coombs and Meredith Farkas have agreed to serve on the LITA Top Technology Trends panel. Finally, I’m no longer going to be the lone woman on the dais! I also expect that Karen and Meredith will bring new perspectives to the discussion.
This is not to diss the wonderful long-distance contributions of “Librarian in Black” Sarah, who is also a Trendster, but for me the crucible is not pontificating from my digital bully pulpit, but sitting at that table next to Clifford Lynch, Eric Lease Morgan, Roy Tennant, Andrew Pace, Tom Wilson, Marshall Breeding, and others, and feeling incredibly stupid, ill-informed, panicked, and fraudulent.
Why wouldn’t I want to share that with other members of the distaff persuasion?
Superficially, in terms of library demographics, the addition of Karen and Meredith do not dramatically alter the composition of the live panel. It’s still overwhelmingly academic. However, I suspect the conversation will change, not just from the gender change but also because Karen and Meredith focus their work effort differently than the other panelists. The last panel was far too overwhelmingly focused on the ILS (my contributions included). Once a planet starts to orbit around a sun, it takes a pretty big asteroid to knock it in a new direction. I am sure Meredith and Karen can be part of that force.
A big thank you to the Top Tech Trends committee for insisting on putting the recruitment of women first and foremost. As a Trendster, I’ve been part of that push, at least from the side. But the committee chose to change things, and change it did. There are many great men who would serve this panel well, but that can happen some other time.
Ladies, I’m holding you to this commitment if I have to fly to your respective cities and escort you by hand! (Though somehow I suspect this won’t be necessary.)
Posted on this day, other years:
- Sweetmeats from TWA Conference 2009 - 2009
- Huh? - 2005
- Help, I'm Trapped in an LSTA Grant, and I Can't Get Out! - 2004
- Honoring Those Who Serve: Social Justice Versus Censorship - 2004
I’m really looking forward to sitting up there with you, Karen, as well. Honored, frankly.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to sit up there in June as I have a prior commitment in the same time-slot and it would be poor form for me to back out on it now (as much as I may want to). But I promise that my participation will not be virtual after that.
And I can also assure you that I will buck tradition and will definitely not talk about the ILS. 😉
Great move on the Top Technology Trends’ folks part and your determination in this realm has done us all a big favor I think.
I love the new site look by the way. Way to go!
Thanks, Ryan. I’m surprised at the comments I have about the blog’s new look, because after looking at themes until my eyes goggled, I essentially picked one that was almost the OLD look except green (green is always good). I would have preferred something more artistic, but I didn’t want to looked canned, and I don’t have the skills to modify the design.
Meredith, you can always submit comments… but I’ll hold you to midwinter. 🙂
I like your new look too.
I’m hoping to bring a little bit different perspective to the table for Top Tech Trends. While the ILS is an important thing that is changing in libraries, there is a lot more stuff going on technologically that effects libraries. Born digital materials are high on my radar at the moment as it the ideas behind Web 2.0 particularly remixablity of content. I also think Sarah’s contributions have been great not only because of her gender but also because she brings a public library point of view to the table.
I’m honored by the opportunity to be part of Top Tech Trends. I don’t know whether to be excited or intimidated about being up there on stage with you! Looking forward to seeing you in Washington.
Amen sister! I may bring up the ILS but only in a much larger context.
I just want to say that it wasn’t just women who wanted more women up there (not that you said that, I just want folks to be clear) — we men wanted that as well. My wife just brought back a t-shirt from the California Democratic Convention for one of my daughters that said something like “This is what a Feminist looks like”. I told her I need one of those too. You don’t have to be female to fight for an equal voice for all.
Thanks, Roy. When I said “the committee” I really meant it. I appreciate how this was not left to be a “women’s issue” but was everyone’s issue. You in particular have been insistent and tireless.
I really, really wish we would allow live virtual participation at last–we’ve been asking for years. It’s not so hard to set up a tele-meeting via Skype, or just simple IM. That way, those of us who aren’t there live could still contribute to the “conversation,” instead of just spouting off our trends like ninnies all alone from our terminals. It would also save people money, and reduce the carbon footprint of the TTT 🙂 Pardon me, I’m just happy that “carbon footprint” is finally in the verbiage of normal people now.
On this point I fully agree with you, Sarah. I have been advocating e-participation for years. The barriers confuse me; I have been told it might be offputting for members, or it’s difficult, or… WHATever.
There is some challenge to creating a participatory model where people who are not at a conference presentation are sharing in real-time along with people who are. Oddly, the answer would be full electronic participation. It’s the meatware/electronic blend that proves to be difficult.